A wireless local area network, WLAN, is a wireless network that links two or more devices using a wireless distribution method within a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, or office building. The wireless distribution method may e.g. be spread-spectrum or OFDM radio. This gives users the ability to move around within a local coverage area and still be connected to the network, which network may provide a connection to the wider Internet. Most modern WLANs are based on IEEE 802.11 standards, marketed under the Wi-Fi brand name.
Wireless LANs have become popular in the home due to ease of installation and use, and in commercial complexes offering wireless access to their customers. Such access is often offered for free. Today, many Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISP) have deployments which support both public and private networks at the same time. In those deployments a single network node, such as a WLAN Access Point (AP), may advertise two networks at the same time—one public and one private. Usually, the private network is associated with a particular household and is only available to the people, also referred to as users, that belong to the house hold. The private network employs security mechanisms, which prevent intruders from connecting to that network. On the other hand, the public network usually provides access to a larger number of users, e.g. it could be a network that allows all users to obtain access or could also be a network that provides access to the operator's customers, thereby expending Wi-Fi coverage for those customers. While the operation of the private network is usually limited within one particular household, the public network includes a plurality of network nodes, which provide extensive “blanket” coverage that may span over an entire neighborhood.                The public network might not provide any security mechanisms, while the private one does.        The private network will usually be configured in such a way that it provides better service than the public one. It is common that the private and public network are operated by the same network node. Almost always the network node is collocated with a logically separated Customer Premise Equipment (CPE). The CPE implements routing and access (xDSL, FTTH) capabilities. Thus, public and private network share the same Internet access, prioritizing the private network's traffic over the public network's.        There might be services that are available on the private network only, e.g. connection to a Home Media center, some personalized operator services, etc.        